Page 61 of Rescuing Ryder

A low rumble at her banter came from his chest. For the first time in a long time, Ryder felt like the old version of himself. With her lying in his arms, his world felt complete.

“How about a snack? You didn’t eat much this evening,” he admonished her.

“I thought I did rather well,” Claire teased and giggled, making him rub his scruff against her face and neck.

“How about I bring us pecan pie from Saint’s mother, Edie?”

“With ice cream?” she asked.

“I’d be crazy if I said no. Who makes the homemade stuff? It’s delicious,” Ryder asked.

“Bryanna makes it. She owns the bakery. We’ll have to check it out some time,” Claire stated wistfully.

“Can I ask you something?” Ryder stroked her hair.

“Hmmm?”

“You’re part of this big Serenity family circle, yet you still feel you’re on the outside?”

Claire lay thoughtfully for a moment before pulling the sheet higher up her chest. “I guess sometimes I don’t feel like I’m a part of this big, happy community they built together,” she admitted.

“Why? They seem to genuinely care about you.” He peered at her, confused.

She shrugged her shoulders and snuggled into his chest. “I counseled Kassie after a devastating event. At one time, we didn’t know if she’d recover. She pushed Chase away. She thought me interested in him when she saw us out for dinner,” Claire sighed.

“Were you?” Ryder asked as his body tightened, waiting for a response. Picturing her with Doc sent his blood boiling.

Claire shook her head. “No. We celebrated over a business dinner. Kassie overreacted and fired me. She apologized profusely and even sent me for a full spa day at Samantha’s because she felt guilty for her reaction.

“Then why don’t you feel like you’re part of the group?” he pushed.

“I don’t know. I guess I feel like I know all her secrets and I don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable every time we’re together. The women tend to do stuff in groups. They even watch the kids like one big family, taking turns and planning special events,” Claire’s voice sounded melancholy.

“I don’t get it. You sound as if you admire those things about them, yet you stick to the outside,” he reasoned.

She sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. Any chances of breaking into the inner circle disappeared after the Kilner event.”

Ryder shifted and used his finger to tilt her jaw to see her face. “I’ve worked with a team similar to the men here. They’re protective. Even though I didn’t like their tone, they genuinely care about you.”

“It’s not only about Kilner. I think my actions at the housewarming party clinched their desire to not socialize with me,” Claire confided.

“What happened?” Ryder asked as his arm tightened around her, encouraging her to tell him.

“They threw me a housewarming party. I became paranoid about coming home alone after the first note. Chase insisted on walking me to my car the evening of the party to ensure I went home. I planned to run in, grab some clothes, and return to my office on the mountain. The light in the entryway doesn’t work. I ran an extension cord from the living room into the hallway. When I returned home, it was dark and I felt along the wall for the lamp. When I turned it on, they all yelled, ‘Welcome home.’”

“I’m failing to see why it separates you from the group.” Ryder stated.

Claire took a deep breath. “I carried pepper spray. When I turned on the light, Kassie became my biggest threat and I sprayed her.”

Ryder laughed out loud, “You’re the asshole who sprayed her?”

She punched him in the arm. “It was an accident. I feel really bad about it.”

Ryder continued to chuckle as he snuggled farther down on the pillow to search her face. He sobered when he saw the insecurity and vulnerability in her words.

“Psychiatrist, get over thyself. You made a mistake. Do you know Kassie stayed home a few days to allow the redness time to go down? When she returned, she never once mentioned you did it. She and Chase stated she experienced an accident. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t protect you the way they did. Besides, the night Kilner attacked you I called Whiskey. The family you think doesn’t want you assembled. By the time I jogged the half block back here, jimmied open the screen door and worked on the French door, Leo growled and bitched in my ears about following orders. They dropped everything the moment they learned you were in danger,” he explained gently.

“I didn’t know,” Claire whispered.

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